Can street food provide a great dining experience even without a restaurant atmosphere? / Frank Espich/The Star

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When it comes to dining out, what really is the most important criteria?

According to the 2013 Consumer Picks survey by Nation’s Restaurant News, an annual report that analyzes customer feedback on more than 150 restaurant brands, food trumps everything.

Until the price goes up, that is. The same survey showed that the importance of atmosphere increases along with the size of the bill, “a signal that the more qualitative experiential elements of dining out are gaining in importance, especially when diners are having to pay more for their meals.”

That seems right. The flaws I might put up with in a hole-in-the-wall I wouldn’t expect to find in a pricier place, although I’m not sure that my “qualitative experiential elements” are the same as someone else’s. I tend to like restaurants that are dark, loud and crowded, while someone else might prefer well-lit, quiet and spacious.

But however we define “ambiance,” it’s fair to say that if we don’t find it, we expect a smaller check.

If the ambiance is great, though, will we have a better meal?

Maybe. I posed the food vs. ambiance question recently on Facebook and Twitter, and readers weighed in with their take on what’s most important. It seems that, while great surroundings might not improve the actual quality of a meal, they can certainly make dinner more enjoyable. I’ll put up with less-than-stellar food, for example, in exchange for charming sidewalk table or for the hip vibe of a cool bar.

Or, as local financial planner Pete Dunn put it in his response, “great ambiance can improve average food, but terrible ambiance can't ruin good food.”

That’s the key to success for every little hole-in-the-wall gem. Even if there’s no ambiance whatsoever, even if we’re sitting on folding chairs and eating out of a plastic basket, if that burger or taco or empanada is fabulous, we probably won’t care.

At least that’s the view of local teacher Deana Beecher, who answered on Twitter, saying (in the abbreviated jargon of the site), “to my fam, food trumps all. We have eaten incred food w 1 hand and shooed flies w the other.”

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In fact, downtown resident Andy Morinap says that hole-in-the-wall status can make a restaurant even more appealing. “I’d argue that ‘hole-in-the-wall’ is a form of ambience,” he said. “One that many of us enjoy.

What do you think is the key to a great dining experience? Join in the conversation on Facebook and

The switch is a part of an effort to reach more than just special-occasion diners, said Boucher-Fegley, who noted that Stanford’s will have a lower price point than Kincaid’s and will be more family friendly. Stanford’s menu of sandwiches, salads, steaks, chicken and fish ranges from about $12.95 to $28.95. “There’s something for everybody,” Boucher-Fegley said.

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Foundry Provisions, the new coffee shop at 16th and Alabama streets, opened recently to an enthusiastic response from the neighborhood, said manager Kimmie Burton. The coffee shop offers five lunch paninis ($7.50), as well as bagels, pastries (some vegan), scones, muffins, oatmeal and, of course, coffee. Check the Foundry’s Facebook page for more info.

Greenwood gained a new burger-and-dog joint when Between the Bun opened earlier this month at 102 S. Madison Ave. in Greenwood. The restaurant grew from a food truck and the owner’s focus on hand-crafted signature barbecue sauces and seasoning. It’s open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Check the restaurant’s Facebook page for details.

And another frozen yogurt place will open soon downtown and this one will be open late. According to its website, PEARings will open in mid-April at 6 W. Washington St. with a focus on breakfast, lunch and evening snacks. The self-serve yogurt shop will also offer hot and cold cereals, fresh fruit, salads, wraps and crepes. Hours will be 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. For info, check out PEARings‘ website and Facebook page.